The present invention relates to the field of contact-free angle sensors.
It is particularly applicable to angle sensors designed to be installed on the steering column of a motor vehicle.
More precisely, the present invention preferably relates to angle sensors based on capacitive sensors.
Numerous angle sensors based on capacitive sensors have already been proposed.
Examples of such sensors can be found in Documents U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,377, EP-0459118, DE-3711062, GB-2176013, DE-3328421, U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,781, FR-2457003, U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,553, EP-0551066.
Most of those sensors comprise a rotor element, at least one stator element, means suitable for applying electrical signals to a transmitter one of the elements, and means suitable for detecting the signals received on a receiver one of the elements, which signals depend on the angular position of the rotor element relative to the stator element.
An object of the present invention is to improve known angle sensors.
This object is achieved in the context of the present invention by means of an angle sensor, in particular for a steering column of a motor vehicle, in which the sensor element of the stator is placed in a box organized to be engaged sideways onto the assembly in which the rotor element is received.
According to an advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the sensor element of the stator is provided with at least one electrode which extends over an angle of about 180xc2x0.
According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the sensor element of the stator is provided with two parallel electrodes which extend over an angle of about 180xc2x0, which electrodes are organized to receive the rotor element between them.
Other characteristics, objects, and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given by way of non-limiting example, and in which: